Cedar Falls, IA (Sports Network) - The regular season comes to a close tonight for the Illinois State Redbirds and the 25th-ranked Northern Iowa Panthers, as the two meet in a Missouri Valley Conference clash at the McLeod Center in Cedar Falls.

This season has certainly been a success for Illinois State, which is 21-8 overall, including 11-6 in MVC action. The Redbirds are riding an impressive six-game win streak, which includes Wednesday's 75-58 romp over Indiana State, and four of the victories during the current run have come by four or fewer points. The hope tonight is that ISU can improve a lackluster 6-6 record in true road games, but doing so against a quality opponent like Northern Iowa won't be easy.

With the MVC regular-season crown and top seed in the league tournament already wrapped up, Northern Iowa marched into Evansville as a very confident team on Tuesday. Perhaps the Panthers were too confident, as they dropped a 55-54 decision to a team that had lost 17 of 18 contests heading in. Still, UNI is 24-4 overall, including 14-3 in league play, and the club carries a perfect 13-0 home record into this evening's affair.

Northern Iowa beat up on Illinois State last month, 59-44, but the Redbirds still own a 34-22 series lead over the Panthers.

There is no shortage of talent in the lineup for Illinois State, and its three double-digit scorers have started all 29 games this season. Osiris Eldridge leads the way with 15.9 ppg, and Dinma Odiakosa provides 13.2 ppg and 8.8 rpg. Odiakosa is shooting a stellar 62.9 percent from the floor, impressive by any standards. Rounding out the trio of Lloyd Phillips with 10.4 ppg, and he has handed out 124 assists. The Redbirds are generating 70.9 ppg while allowing 64.2 ppg to foes. In the easy victory over Indiana State on Wednesday, Odiakosa scored 21 points and pulled down 12 rebounds. Tony Lewis had 19 points and 11 rebounds, while Eldridge scored 14 points. Illinois State earned a 44-26 rebounding advantage in the tilt and a 23-14 edge in points from the foul line.

Northern Iowa is not an explosive offensive team by any means, as the club is only generating 63.8 ppg. Fortunately, the Panthers are holding opponents to 55.4 ppg on 41 percent field goal efficiency. Adam Koch continues to pace UNI with 12.4 ppg. Jordan Eglseder, the team's center, is back from a three-game suspension. He contributes 12.2 ppg and 7.6 rpg while shooting 53.4 percent from the field, and those numbers come in just 21.8 minutes of action per game. Kwadzo Ahelegbe checks in with 10.5 ppg for the Panthers, who shot a lowly 33.3 percent from the floor against Evansville, including 5-of-23 from three-point range. Jake Koch hit all 10 of his foul shots in that tilt and finished with 22 points, and Adam Koch added 14 points before fouling out.